"The Switzler Family"
In 1785 the first document we find is John George Switzler and Gertrude 
Charity Denig.  The marriage date is 30 August 1785, Lancaster, PA.  Next we
find them in VA.  And they are listed in 1810 tax list in Patrick Co, VA.  
John, Lewis, Simeon, and Michael enlisted in Patrick Co, VA and served in the 
War of 1812, They then migrated to MO.  Next is 1830 Census in Saline Co, MO.

L. Switzler and Simeon Switzler listed in Franklin, Howard Co, MO.  Two M. 
Switzlers' listed in Franklin Co, Mo, probably one was Michael Switzler and 
John and one Green Switzler in the 1840 Census.  The M Switzler is probably 
Michael of the two listed.  Starting in 1850 there are 47 Switzler's 
listed,some in the east but mostly in MO.  At this point the Switzler's 
started to move on to UT and OR and AR & MT.  I am sure we are related to the 
other Switzlers but have not connected to them Yet.  

The spelling of our name could have been misspelled by the first record takers 
of Ships list and other documents.  These have been some of the spellings 
we have found for our name; Zweitzler, Zwitzler, Schweitzler and Switzler the 
way we spell it. We have of couple Places that the Switzler's came from one 
source say, Berlin, Germany abt. 1788 and another says Bern, Switzlerland abt 
1798???

So far there are several Switzler researchers.  We will label them by the 
states they have migrated to:
First the Eastern Switzlers, the Virginia and Missouri Switzlers, the Montana 
Switzlers, the Oregon Switzlers and the Arkansas/Oklahoma Switzlers.  Here 
recently the New Jersey Switzlers and the Mississippi Switzlers which is the 
other Simeon Switzler.


As the Switzler Family we had pioneers with the best of qualities;  We had 
occupations such as farmers; millers; ferrymen; teachers; lawyers; judges; 
statesmen; newspaper editors and others were sawyers; miners; merchants; 
traders; blacksmiths; ranchers; some in the military and of course housewifes 
who raised children and kept the home fires burning to name a few.

We are learning about our Switzler roots and there are errors in this we 
know. Any corrections will be welcome and try to document what you can.  This 
is for research and learning as well as trying to reconstruct our family 
roots and haveing fun doing it.  We do not really know who the first 
Switzler's were, even in Switzerland/Germany, VA or PA some may have been 
brothers to 
this first Johan (John) George Switzler or his son's ???.  

See Switzler documents, wills, obits in the photo section.
There are several Switzler researchers so please add your photo to the photo 
section and put queries in guest book if you have any. Thanks to ALL of you 
who have already contributed to this effort.    The Switzler Researchers



The Story Tellers
We are the chosen.

My feelings are that in each family there is one who seems called to find the 
ancestors. To put flesh on their bones and make them live again, to tell the 
family story and to feel that somehow they know and approve. To me, doing 
genealogy is not a cold gathering of facts but, instead, breathing life into 
all who have gone before. We are the story tellers of the tribe. All tribes 
have one. We have been called, as it were, by our genes. Those who have gone 
before cry out to us: Tell our story. So, we do. In finding them, we somehow 
find ourselves.

How many graves have I stood before now and cried? I have lost count. How many 
times have I told the ancestors you have a wonderful family you would be proud 
of us? How many times have I walked up to a grave and felt somehow there was 
love there for me? I cannot say. It goes beyond just documenting facts. It 
goes to who I am and why I do the things I do? It goes to seeing a cemetery 
about to be lost forever to weeds and indifference and saying, I can't let 
this happen. The bones here are bones of my bone and flesh of my flesh. It 
goes to doing something about it. It goes to pride in what our ancestors were 
able to accomplish. How they contributed to what we are today.

It goes to respecting their hardships and losses, their never giving in or 
giving up, their resoluteness to go on and build a life for their family. It 
goes to deep pride that they fought to make and keep us a Nation. It goes to a 
deep and immense understanding that they were doing it for us that we might be 
born who we are; that we might remember them. So we do. With love and caring 
and scribing each fact of their existence, because we are them and they are 
us. So, as a scribe called, I tell the story of my family. It is up to that 
one called in the next generation to answer the call and take their place in 
the long line of family story tellers. That is why I do my family genealogy, 
and that is what calls those young and old to step up and put flesh on the 
bones.

( Unknown Author )